Wine Talk

By Frank J. Prial

Published: August 7, 1991

THE 1855 classification of the Wines of Bordeaux holds up as a monument to conservatism and intransigence. But it serves as a perfect point of reference for discussing the quality of the best Bordeaux wines. If someone says of a particular chateau, "It should be a first growth," or "It's better than half of the classified growths," other wine enthusiasts understand exactly what is meant.

A good example of how the 1855 classification can be used is the town of Pauillac. Everyone who is interested in wine has heard of Pauillac, in the wine country north of Bordeaux. And even some who haven't know the names of its three first growth chateaus, Lafite-Rothschild, Latour and Mouton-Rothschild. Basking in their reflected glory, Pauillac considers itself the most famous wine community in the world.

Beaune, Bernkastel and a few other wine towns might dispute that, but there is no question that, for its size, Pauillac produces more famous wines within its own borders than any other community on earth.

The first growths alone would make Pauillac's reputation untouchable, but the list of great wines produced within this growing village's limits goes on and on.

There are two second growths in the 1855 classifications: Pichon-Longueville-Baron and Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande (both names have been shortened to Pichon-Baron and Pichon-Lalande); one fourth growth, Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, and 11 fifth growths: Pontet-Canet, Batailley, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Haut-Batailley, Lynch-Bages, Lynch-Moussas, Mouton d'Armailhacq, Haut-Bages-Liberal, Pedesclaux, Clerc-Milon-Rothschild and Croizet-Bages.

Of the 61 chateaus listed in the 1855 classification, 18 are in Pauillac, Only Margaux can claim more -- 21 -- but the Margaux appellation includes several other towns, including Arsac, Cantenac and Labarde. Moreover, the actual area given over to classfied growth vineyards is greater in Pauillac than in any other appellation.

The 1855 classification is still the fundamental benchmark of quality in Bordeaux, even though every wine enthusiast knows it does not include any of the great properties to the east -- Petrus, Ausone or Cheval-Blanc -- and that quality has changed among the 61 chateaus.

Thus a fifth growth. Lynch-Bages, having been improved with replanted vineyards, a completely rebuilt winery and the most modern techniques, is often rated as high as the first growths.

Pichon-Lalande, one of the two second growths, has been elevated, along with half a dozen other properties, to the informal rating "supersecond" and is also considered on a par with the first growths in many vintages.

Others, like Pontet-Canet and Pichon-Baron are improving as anything does in the wine world, and experts spend many hours deciding which of the Pauillac fifth growths should be elevated. It's an academic exercise. Hardly anyone wants to change the 1855 classification, especially those chateaus that might be demoted.

In the 1960's, when Alexis Lichine, the writer and wine maker, first proposed a new classification, he elevated Mouton-Rothschild to first growth (Crus Hors Classe), and kept both Pichons in his equivalent of second growth, Crus Exceptionnels.

Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Lynch-Bages and Mouton d'Armailhacq became third growths (Grand Crus). Lichine divided the rest between Crus Superieurs and Bon Crus, his equivalents of fourth and fifth growths. He added only one Pauillac chateau to the entire list, Pedesclaux, making it a Bon Cru.

Only one of his suggestions was realized. Mouton-Rothschild was elevated to first growth from second. It was the only change in the classification in 136 years (and the only one expected over the next 136 years, although other parts of the Bordeaux region have been classified or reclassified since then, notably St.-Emilion, which was first classified in 1955, then again in 1969 and a third time in 1985).

Some years ago, Robert M. Parker Jr., the American wine writer, proposed a "top 100" list of Bordeaux wines. Taking into account the improvements made at some properties, he added Pichon-Lalande to the first growths, Lynch-Bages to the seconds and Grand-Puy-Lacoste to the thirds.

Most of the rest of the Pauillacs went into the fifth growths, several were dropped and two were added, Fonbadet and Les Forts de Latour, the second wine of Chateau Latour.

For those who might care to look further into these matters, Chateau Mouton d'Armailhacq is the latest name of what was, until this year, Chateau Mouton-Baronne-Philippe. The property is adjacent to and owned by Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who owned Mouton, bought it in the 1930's.. In 1956, he renamed it Mouton-Baron-Philippe. After his wife died in 1975, he changed the name it again, in her memory, to Baronne Philippe. He died in 1987. This year, his daughter, Philippine de Rothschild, changed the name once more.

The wines of Pauillac have been defined as the most elegant and most concentrated in Bordeaux. But Margaux produces elegant wines and St.-Estephe wines can be superbly concentrated.

David Peppercorn, a British writer, put it best when he said that it is in Pauillac where cabernet sauvignon achieves its most characteristic results, "producing that marked black-currant style for which it is justly famous."

Because there are so many large and famous estates, there are few small properties whose wines display the essential Pauillac characteristics, but are still affordable.

Some of the best buys are the second labels of the well-known chateaus. Lynch-Bages, for example, makes Haut-Bages-Averous; Pichon-Lalande makes Reserve de la Comtesse, and Grand-Puy-Lacoste makes Lacoste Borie. Pontet-Canet's second is Les Hauts de Pontet.

Chateaux Fonbadet and La Couronne and Haut-Bages-Monpelou are not second labels; they are Cru Bourgeois wines, a classification just below the 1855 group. They invariably offer good, relatively short-lived wines at reasonable prices. TASTINGS Marques de Arienzo Rioja Gran Reserva 1981; about $17.

The sherry-making Domecqs didn't get into the Rioja region of northern Spain until the 1970's, but they quickly made up for lost time. Borrowing a note from the dynamic Californians, they created a first-class winery virtually overnight. Their wines have consistently ranked among the best made in Rioja in recent years. At 10 years of age, this Gran Reserva is just coming into its own. It's tighter and less fleshy than some younger Riojas. In fact, it has the body and much of the elegance of a good Bordeaux. The bouquet, however, is characteristically Spanish, deeper and more aggressive than any Bordeaux. The wine will probably improve with age, but why bother? The winery went to the trouble of keeping it for almost a decade so it would be ready to drink. So drink it.